Intermittent Fasting!

[sneezingstardust]

I know Steve does a variation of this, but does anyone else follow this kind of eating pattern?

For a long time I've been very anti-fasting, but I've been very, very curious about the IF principles after reading through Martin's blog:

Intermittent fasting for fat loss, muscle gain and health


So curious, in fact, I think I'm going to be crazy enough to try it. I'm not trying to lose fat by any means, but I am a BIG eater and like to feel quite full with meals. Also, this ensures I'll be able to experiment a little more with my cooking, as I'll have more calories to work with, seeing as they're not all spread over the day

I'm a HUGE breakfast person, and I absolutely love to eat breakfast...BUT, I'm willing to give this a try just for kicks. Besides, I can always eat pancakes or oatmeal PWO, heh. It's not the same as the WD, as you only fast for 14-16 hrs. and then eat for 8-9. And considering my schedule (school and training) it would actually be pretty convenient.

We'll see how it all works out. And if I don't like it, I can always switch back. Pretty simple.

[BendtheBar]

I'm sure that BAS and Jdalm have both tried it. Bumping so they see....

[Trevor Lane]

Alot of paleo eating proponents push periods of feast and famine to mimic ancient people's diets more accurately. In fact, the guy who turned me on to the paleo diet basicaly eats one 3,000 calorie meal a day that simply consists of meat and maybe some fruit, and he eats this shortly after his workout or "hunt" to further mimic an ancient lifestyle.

[RickB]

I skip a meal from time to time and I'm mentally torn about it. I think on the positive side, it's helping me lean a bit more, but on the negative side of it, it crushes my ego and I think I wonder how many pounds that will cost me on some lifts.

[DieselWeasel]

I'll only be "fasting" if/when I'm homeless and living on the street.

[sneezingstardust]

Originally Posted by RickB

I skip a meal from time to time and I'm mentally torn about it. I think on the positive side, it's helping me lean a bit more, but on the negative side of it, it crushes my ego and I think I wonder how many pounds that will cost me on some lifts.

But see, this is a common misconception with fasting.

People automatically believe that fasting = muscle loss = strength loss. When in reality, as long as you're reaching all your protein and calorie needs in the last half of the day, your workouts and muscle won't suffer. Your body doesn't go catabolic if it doesn't eat every 2-3 hours. The body doesn't even fully digest food in the time frame you give it from it's last meal. Whether you spread 3000 calories throughout the day or eat them within 8 hours doesn't matter.

Your muscle/strength loss will depend on the type of calories and the amount of calories you're consuming in the day. NOT when you consume them.

[RickB]

Originally Posted by sneezingstardust

But see, this is a common misconception with fasting.

People automatically believe that fasting = muscle loss = strength loss. When in reality, as long as you're reaching all your protein and calorie needs in the last half of the day, your workouts and muscle won't suffer. Your body doesn't go catabolic if it doesn't eat every 2-3 hours. The body doesn't even fully digest food in the time frame you give it from it's last meal. Whether you spread 3000 calories throughout the day or eat them within 8 hours doesn't matter.

Your muscle/strength loss will depend on the type of calories and the amount of calories you're consuming in the day. NOT when you consume them.

I'm not saying that I truly believe in my fear...I'm just a tad OCD is all. You know how that can work despite what you know

[sneezingstardust]

Originally Posted by RickB

I'm not saying that I truly believe in my fear...I'm just a tad OCD is all. You know how that can work despite what you know

Haha, yeh I know what you mean. I was quite a firm believer that my body was catabolic the moment I wasn't stuffing my face We'll see if this proves me wrong.

[sneezingstardust]

Okay, this is weird.

I'm 3.5 hours into my fast, and my energy is absolutely THROUGH THE ROOF. I feel like I'm buzzed out on like 4 coffees right now, haha. The 2nd hour was rough because I was a bit hungry, but I feel absolutely fantastic. My mind is totally clear, I'm super alert, and I feel like I've tapped into energy sources I never knew I had.

And I am NOT a morning person. At all.

I think I have just made a breakthrough

[BendtheBar]

Originally Posted by sneezingstardust

Okay, this is weird.

I'm 3.5 hours into my fast, and my energy is absolutely THROUGH THE ROOF. I feel like I'm buzzed out on like 4 coffees right now, haha.

Join the club.

When I fast in the manner I do, I RARELY ever feel sluggish during the day. It takes quite a bit of sleep deprivation to ruin my day. Before my Warrior Diet-esque approach, I was tired most days.

You might have a few low energy days during your first week, but after that, it's generally all good.


I don't know if you read Iron Addict's info on fasting, but he and I both came to the same conclusion...it's hard (for some - not all) to maintain muscle without eating some daily protein. I'm not telling you to immediately jump off your approach...I just want you to keep it in mind.

Each of us reacts differently, but if you do find yourself losing muscle, sip on whey or casein throughout the day.